Can’t do without guards on Southern trains

Red tape – the bugbear of people’s lives. But without it human safety, a level playing field and human rights are open to abuse.

Southern Rail and the Government need to get back to the drawing board and use common-sense to find a solution – scrutinise why we need guards and ticket offices in the first place.

As a commuter, common-sense tells me that the track has twists and turns, which inevitably means that the guard currently has to alight from the train to see down the length of the train.

This cannot be replaced by a small screen on a computer. There will be blind spots.

In the past I’ve taken a class of children on the train, accompanied of course but this is incredibly fraught with difficulty, rather like herding cats, in normal times – what happens if there is no guard to assist or oversee?

People with disabilities need to travel by train too, they often need some assistance on the train as well as at the station.

Given the uncertain climate currently being experienced across the country – shouldn’t the rail service be more attentive to the needs of its paying clients not less?

A safe and regular service for all is needed throughout the day and evening and on time to enable people to get on with their lives.

Hazel Thorpe

Liberal Democrat ( Leader)

Rose Cottage

High Street

Tarring

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